Hello,

Thank you for following my story and thank you for the reviews ^^

This chapter is a little sad for the flashback moment.

Note 1: In Italics, the storyteller speaking (moi ^^)

Note 2: To answer to some questions; Enzo had 25 years old and looks like the actor Michael Malarkey. As reminder, in chapter 5 was mentioned that Alison knew Enzo as she was working in a restaurant in NY when she was a fugitive.

Chapter 19 – The Secret Is Out

(In the hospital's roof)

*** Music Background: Bonnie and Clyde by Great Northern***

Alison and Jessica were standing there, they left a distance between them, and both women were with the arms crossed.

Alison. – "Tell me did you try to have me killed because you hate me too much or more because I know too much…"

Jessica D started to walk towards the blonde. – "You know, no matter how hard I tried to turn you into a decent lady…" (She approached so close to the blonde that their faces were at millimeters of distance) "You still remain to be the one big failure of my life as a mother"

Alison smirked. – "You're not a decent lady! A decent person accepts the responsibilities of her own actions… And you're not a mother! A mother takes care of his family; a mother doesn't bury her own daughter in her backyard! A mother doesn't try to have her own daughter killed twice for the same psycho and bribe the detective Wilden to keep it quiet!"

Jessica didn't reply to any argument, she didn't deny them either; she just stood there with her look fixed to the blonde; Alison continued…

Alison. – "Let's tell to the world and my Dad what kind of a 'mother' and 'decent lady' you're!"

Jessica. – "Oh Alison, Alison, Alison, have you don't learn nothing from the past years? Even if I didn't have the cops in my pocket, who do you think they're going to believe huh! Someone like you! (She started to push Alison towards the roof edge, each time with more anger and strength) Do you really believe that any one will believe you! A little sad, pathetic, pretentious, liar like you!"

Alison got upset and she slapped Jessica. – "You think that you're an icon of this town! A pillar of this community! You just love to show you off as the center of this supposed great family and as person of inspiration! But let me tell you something, you're not an honored mother or a humanitarian as you call yourself in front of this entire town! The last time I checked, humanitarians value human life and you just have tried to get me kill more than once time! Perhaps you didn't do the dirty job with your own hand but you has covert up all the deaths of that psycho: the mother of Toby, the detective Wilden, Ian and I almost got included in that list…"

Jessica (mocking). - "You're forgetting someone else Alison, your precious chef: Enzo…"

Alison's eyes got bigger as she remembered …

*** Alison's Flashback***

(In NY when Alison was a fugitive working at a restaurant)

Since the shooting incident where Alison almost died, Enzo has been more protective and warm with the blonde; he installed her in his apartment, he even decorated her room with the theme of 'Paris', he painted a tour Eiffel in one wall and even if it wasn't perfect, for Alison was the nicer thing that anyone had done for her; now that the girl has recovered at 100%; she has been working hard in the kitchen, even she's being nice with all the staff; it seemed that the event had been a change living experience for Alison.

Every time that Alison was assigned to do a task, her eyes were fixed in the chef Enzo, she was always looking for his approval; it has been a while since the blonde started to have affection for the chef; she saw in him a parental figure, a big protective brother that she had it only in dreams. The blonde started to found joy in the kitchen and Enzo noticed, he decided to take her as her pupil; each night before closing the restaurant, he gave her cooking lessons, the blonde was smart and she had a natural talent for it, and in a short period of time, she had become already a pro for her age. Enzo was proud of her and Alison too, this kind of feeling was something new for her; it was the 1st time that she felt a sincere reconnaissance of her effort.

One night, Alison was cleaning the tables, she looked up and saw a family leaving, they looked happy and that made her a little sad; Enzo looked at the blonde and noticed that she got sad looking to a family.

Enzo approached to the blonde with a cup of coco. – "Kiddo, let's take a break…"

They both sat in a table close to the window with view on the street; it was Christmas season so Alison was looking to all the families, walking together, with presents; the view made her sad.

Enzo.- "So kiddo, do you have plans for Christmas? You know that you can ask some days off and go visit your family, if you need money I can…"

Alison. – "They are better without me; I left because my mother wanted me dead…"

Enzo. – "You can't say that, perhaps you had problems but…"

Alison said with a sad tone as she was looking to the emptiness. – "She buried me alive in our backyard…"

Enzo lost his posture. – "What?!"

Alison. – "To be honest, everybody believes that I'm dead, I think that is the best, I have no home to go back…"

Enzo patted Alison's knee and grabbed her hand, their eyes met and Alison could felt the warm affection of Enzo.

Enzo. – "You have a family here kiddo, this is your home"

Alison smiled to him with watery eyes.

(In Enzo's apartment)

The time passed fast and Christmas 'eve was in the corner.

Enzo. – "Im impressed kiddo, this spaghetti is almost as good as mine"

Alison smirked. – "Almost?! Really..."

Enzo smirked. – "Don't push kiddo…"

(Laughs)

Enzo started to clean the table and he asked:

Enzo. – "So for Christmas, is there something that you would like to ask to Santa?"

Alison laughed. – "How old do you think I'm? (She raised an eyebrow) Santa? Really?"

Enzo. – "What?! Don't make that face kiddo, Santa really exists even if you don't believe in him"

Alison chucked and was going to her room but she stopped; she started to play with her fingers when she murmured and looked down…

Alison. – "A Christmas' tree would be nice; since I was a little, my favorite thing during Christmas has been decorating the tree, it will be nice to have a tree here and…"

Enzo. – "And what else kiddo?"

Alison murmured. – "I would like to stay here a little longer; we haven't discussed it but I…"

Enzo. – "You're not going anywhere, this is your home, I'm your big bro and you're my little sis so…"

Alison looked up and smiled to him.

Enzo. – "Go for your coat 'sis', we're going for that three before there will be nothing left…"

(In the streets of NY)

They were walking and she noticed that Enzo's gloves were with a hole.

Alison smirked. – "You need new gloves, you should ask Santa for new ones"

Enzo chucked. – "It will be nicer if my little sis make me new ones…"

They got by a store first to buy lights and other decorations for the three, Alison was looking at some woolen and worsted; in her mind she was already thinking how to weave the gloves; she didn't notice that a black hoodie was looking at her in the distance.

(In Enzo's apartment)

Alison and Enzo got back to the apartment; Alison was getting off her coat when she noticed that there was a paper in her pocket, she unfolded it and read the note:

"This is not your home, go back to Rosewood!"

She froze for a moment, not knowing who gave her that note and when; she decided to ignore it and she just put the paper in the garbage.

Time passed quickly and Alison was happy because she finished the gloves just in time for Christmas; she just needed a nice wrapping paper.

Alison got out of her room and she was putting her coat to go out. She saw Enzo cooking and she approached to him.

Alison. – "And beside the gloves, there is something else that you're wishing for?"

Enzo chucked and replied as he was cooking. – "Well, there is something that I'm wishing for, kiddo…"

Alison. – "Ah really, what is it?"

Enzo turned towards the blonde; he was cleaning his hands with a cloth and looking at her in the eyes, when he said:

Enzo. – "I wish for your happiness, that someday you would found someone to love, someone who would be there for you and love you as you deserve…"

Alison smiled. – "So in other terms, I can't date anyone if you don't approve it…"

Enzo smirked. – "Hell yes! No one is putting his tongue in my little sis' mouth before giving me a visit and me giving him 'the talk'…"

Alison started to think in how nice would be to present Emily to him and she said. – "Her…"

Enzo looked confused.

Alison. – "There is not a 'he', it's a 'she'… and because she's a really nice person and a girl, she doesn't need 'the talk'…"

Enzo smirked. – "No blondie, I don't care how nice this girl can be, if she want to date you, she has to talk to me first…"

Alison smiled and just nodded in order to say 'Ok'.

(In NY streets at night)

The blonde was planning to go the store alone but Enzo insisted in accompanying her, there had been some robberies in the area so he was being as protective as always; Alison wanted to keep the surprise of her present for Enzo so she asked him to wait outside as she bought the wrapping paper; she was choosing a Christmas paper when she looked up and noticed the reflection of a black hoodie behind her; she panicked and she ran out as fast as she could; she got out of the store forgetting that Enzo was waiting for her outside, she just kept running; when she got in a blind alleys, the black hoodie caught her; they were struggling.

Alison. – "Let me go! Get off me!"

The black hoodie was trying to get Alison in a black van when someone from behind took him from the shoulder and hit him so hard that the black hoodie got on the floor.

Enzo. – "Get your hands off my little sis, you human garbage!"

Alison looked up and smiled. – "Enzo!"

Enzo was looking Alison in the eyes. – "Are you ok kiddo?!"

Alison nodded and he turned his attention to the black hoodie, Enzo started to fight against this black hoodie and Enzo was stronger so he was definitely getting the crap of him; Enzo wasn't an aggressive person but when he saw Alison in danger, he just lost it; he wanted to kill that bastard who tried to hurt the blonde; the black hoodie was on the floor in bad shape when Enzo found a tube on the alleys, he took the tube and he was planning to hit the black hoodie with it; Enzo was with his arms over his head, ready to hit that bastard when someone from the black van shoot him three times in the chest…

(Music background: Don't worry about Me by Frances)

Alison. – "Nooo!"

As Enzo was falling to the ground, Alison could see that his entire world was falling apart with him. Alison approached to Enzo as the black hoodie got in the van and they ran away. Alison put her hands in Enzo's chest, she tried to stop the bleeding with her hands but it didn't work; she looked at him in the eyes and put her hands in his cheeks as she noticed he was fading.

Alison. – "Look at me, don't you dare to die! You promise me to take care of me! I can't deal with the fact of losing you!" (She started to cry) "Please, I don't want to lose you! You're my big bro Enzo, you can't leave me… "

Enzo smiled to the blonde and he was looking at her until his last breath; his heart stopped and Alison's heart stopped with him. Alison was crying; she placed his lifeless body into her arms and hugged him.

Alison said with a huge sorrow. – "You know Enzo, everything good that I have in my life now it's thank to you, I'm not the same person I used to be and it's all because of you… I owe so much to you! I love you big bro! (She put a little kiss in his front-head) "Happy Christmas bro!" (Alison's tears fell in Enzo's face) "Even if you will not be around anymore, can you please keep an eye on me? (More tears) "I'm so sorry that I ruined everything for you…" (More tears) "I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! I'm so sorry!"

*** End of the flashback ***

Alison with watery eyes and a huge anger in her voice. – "He died in my arms, I couldn't do anything to save him, I couldn't breathe for months after his dead… He cared about me! You took it from me! The only person that I regarded as my family! How could you do it! He didn't do anything to you! His only mistake was helping me, welcoming me in his home, loving me and taking care of me as my family never did! (Tears in Alison's face) I didn't get the chance to give him my present! I didn't get the chance to tell him how much I loved him, to tell him how grateful I was for all the lessons, all the affection and tenderness that he gave me!"

Jessica (with an ironic tone). – "Oh Alison, stop the sentimentalism; He was just a naïve poor guy, who tried to play it as a hero…"

Alison lost it and she threw herself towards her mother, Jessica was on the floor and a crazy Alison was over her.

Alison yelled. – "You don't talk of him like that! He was my big bro! He was my family! You shut your mouth! You shut up! You don't dare to talk of him! What is your problem! What is your damn damage that you can't just let me be! Why are you trying so hard to make my life a living hell!"

Jessica just looked at her with anger. Alison took a deep breath and let go her mother, they both stood up and they were very close to the edge of the roof.

Alison. – "I'm giving you the chance to come clean, to surrender yourself to the cops…"

Jessica. – "Do you really think that I will surrender myself to the cops" (mocking laughs)

Alison.- "I will not let you continue down this path mother, you have my word that you won't just go down alone, you'll take all the people that has helped you down with you… whoever is this 'A' I will ended him! You cannot protect your precious 'A' from me! No anymore!"

Jessica got upset and she grabbed Alison as she was planning to push her from the edge. – "You will not touch my baby! I will kill you 1st before you do something to her! You choose the worse place to have this talk Alison, you will fall and nobody can help you!"

Alison was smiling and her happiness confused Jessica.

Alison. – "Thank you for the talk Mom… Now, I got you!"

Jessica. – "What are you saying? Why are you smiling?!"

Jessica didn't notice it but they weren't alone anymore.

Kenneth. – "Leave my daughter alone!"

Jessica froze as she turned her head towards the men who was standing behind her with some cops

Alison. – "Oh sorry mother, did I forget to tell you that my friend Blair put a lot of cameras in this roof and our entire talk has been transmitted alive in the internet?"

Alison was pointing out to a camera which was in the corner. – "Come on Mom, smile to the camera or better, just throw me from this roof if you dare! Give to the cops more reasons to put you behind bars!"

Jessica. – "You will regret this Alison"

Alison. – "No mother, I will not! I will end you and 'A' in broad daylight! I'm done playing in the shadows! I'm taking your mask off and showing to the entire world your real face!"

The cops took Jessica D. as Kenneth was hugging Alison, the man didn't stop to say 'sorry' to the blonde; but Alison attention was fixed in her mother, she knew that this was just the beginning of the end; she might won this battle for now but 'A' is still out there and she just came to put more firewood to the fire…